Carper Serves as

WILMINGTON, DE – Senator Tom Carper has held a number of positions – State Treasurer, Governor, Congressman – but today he added “Principal for the Day” at the East Side Charter School. At the end of the school day, Carper presented the students and faculty with a Congressional Statement honoring their distinct achievements. “Five years after opening their doors to some of the state’s most economically and educationally disadvantaged children, they have amassed a record of meeting and exceeding expectations,” Carper said. “The achievement gap is narrowing in the First State, and the East Side Charter School is leading the way.” Over 80 percent of the students at East Side Charter School live in poverty. Most of the children live with only one parent, few of whom completed any college education. Many live in neighborhoods with high incidence of violence and crime, and some are without proper nutrition and health care. One of almost 200 public schools in the state of Delaware, East Side Charter School was the only one in the last few years in which every student tested met or exceeded our state’s standards in math. “When the East Side Charter School started five years ago, the odds were stacked against its success. But the school has flourished and now serves as a model for the nation,” Carper said. “I have shared with people across America stories about East Side’s talented faculty, skilled supervisors, and dedicated staff.” The first bill that Carper introduced in the Senate, the “Empowering Parents: Charter Schools and Choice Act” was signed into law as part of the “No Child Left Behind” education reform bill. Carper’s legislation authorizes competitive grants to help communities with low-performing schools implement a public school choice program, and authorizes grants to entities that help charters leverage private financing for facilities and start-up costs. WHO: East Side Charter School Children, “Principal for a Day” Carper WHERE: East Side Charter School, 2401 North Thatcher Street, Wilmington, DE 19802 WHEN: Until 3:30 pm, Monday, October 28, 2002